Interesting Facts

7th February The start of the Winter Olympics. "The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." The Olympic Charter

According to government records, the sale of more than 20 school sports fields in the UK has been approved by The Education Secretary, Michael Gove. (Isn't that a nice little Olympic legacy for our children?)

The oldest Olympic medalist is Britain's John Copley. (A lot of people believe it was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who won his last medal at age 72, but Mr Copley was 73 when he won a silver medal in the 1948 Olympics. Of course his medal was for "etching", but a medal is a medal.)

If you want to buy a beer at the Olympics it will cost the equivalent of £7.23. (A 330ml bottle of Heineken lager at the Games will cost £4.20, which is the equivalent of £7.23 for a pint. This is more than double the national average price of £3.17. And it doesn't stop there;  bars at the official Games venues will also charge £4.80 for a small glass of 'London 2012' red wine, £2.30 for a 500ml bottle of Coca-Cola and £2 for a cup of tea! If you're feeling peckish, you will pay a whacking £2.10 for a toasted teacake, and a portion of cod and chips will set you back at least £8! The good news is you can take your own refreshments (in a soft bag), but you're not allowed to take your own beer or any other alcohol.  Kerching! I'm glad I'll be at home watching it on the tele with a fridge full of beer, a cellar full of wine, and I'm sure I can rustle up a fish finger sandwich.)

The London 2012 Olympic torch will be a three-sided golden cone with the flame burning through its perforated shell. (It was created by east London designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby and it's made from an aluminium alloy with 8,000 laser-cut circular perforations in its double-skinned exterior. Edward Barber, one of the designers said, "... it had to feel like a functional object, a piece of sporting equipment like a baton". Unfortunately, some people have likened it to a great big, golden, cheese-grater.)

If you buy a ticket for the 2012 Olympics you will have to sign a terms and conditions document, which runs to 7,350 words. (The document, published by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) listing all the rules and regulations that will cover the games. A spokesman for Locog said the organisers wanted spectators "to have lots of fun". "We have to prepare for any eventuality," he added. "Our terms and conditions give us the scope to deal with any incidents which may occur, but our approach will be pragmatic and looked at on a case-by-case basis." So that means Prince Charles will be able to scoff whatever he wants and keep up to date on his Tweets then.)

Olympic swimmers can consume more than 12,000 calories a day while training - and not get fat. (Michael Phelp's diet consists of the following:- Breakfast: Three fried egg sandwiches; cheese; tomatoes; lettuce; fried onions; mayonnaise; three chocolate-chip pancakes; five-egg omelette; three sugar-coated slices of French toast; bowl of grits; two cups of coffee Lunch: Half a kilo (one pound) of enriched pasta; two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayonnaise on white bread; energy drinks Dinner: Half a kilo of pasta, with carbonara sauce; large pizza; energy drinks. I think I just put on a couple of pounds just reading this list.)

The official motto of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement is “citius, altius, fortius”. (It's Latin for "faster, higher, stronger." Perhaps some of the athletes got a bit confused with the Latin, it's not "faster with drugs, higher on drugs, stronger drugs!")

Greek sponge divers discovered the oldest computer in 1901. It is a 2,100 year old device and may have been used to calculate the dates for the Olympic Games. (It's called The Antikythera Mechanism. I'm very glad the name didn't catch on, otherwise PC World would have a very long name.)

A 19th Century covenant forbids the building of sports facilities on a plot of land earmarked for the 2012 Olympic development in east London. The government is planning to pass a law overturning the rule. (Well what else are rules for?)